RAA wants city speed limits cut but wants Hutt St limit raised

SPEED limits should be reduced on several major city streets to make them safer for cyclists and pedestrians, the RAA says.

But the state’s leading motoring organisation claims the controversial reduction of the Hutt St speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h should be reversed because it has proved a failure.

READ BELOW: Cyclists protest helmet law without helmets

READ BELOW: Anne Moran’s trip to ‘prove bike lane test’

The RAA said the Adelaide City Council was wrong to reduce the speed limit on Hutt St because it is major traffic thoroughfare and the roads which should have their speed limit cut are those which are a “destination’’ rather than “key travel routes’’.

“A lower speed makes a place more people-friendly, inviting people to stay and enjoy their surroundings, increasing activity, vitality, the sense of community and health and wellbeing.’’

Mr Mountain said the best locations for lower speed limits were those which attract pedestrians and “have a lot of kerbside parking manoeuvres’’ and an RAA survey identified several candidates for lower speed restrictions, such as The Parade at Norwood.

“We’ll be telling the Adelaide City Council its worth considering a 40km/h speed limit along Rundle Street (between East Tce and Pultney St), Hindley St (between King William St and Morphett St) and Gouger Street at the Central Markets (between King William St and Morphett St),” Mr Mountain said.

“In each of these locations the large number of pedestrians crossing the road means a lower speed limit could make it safer for all road users, without adversely affecting travel times.’’

Other roads identified for maximum speed cuts by the RAA are Frome street and road and Pirie and Waymouth streets which “are relatively narrow ... with kerbside parking and bike paths’’, Mr Mountain said.

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Cyclists ride off without helmets to protest law

By Doug Robertson

ANDREW Bunney had the most striking case of ‘‘helmet hair’’ when he rode off among about 60 cyclists in the Helmet Optional ride along Linear Park on Thursday.

“Helmet laws make bike riding seem dan­gerous and studies have shown that (car) drivers take more care when (cyclists are) not wearing a helmet,’’ he said.

Escorted by eight helmeted pushbike police officers, none of the cyclists wore helmets as they wound along the River Torrens from the city to Grange railway station. Police agreed not to issue infringement notices during the protest ride .

UNCOVERED: Cyclists set off on the helmetless ride from the Adelaide Convention Centre. Picture: Keryn StevensSource:News Corp Australia

Co-organiser Alan Todd, of Melbourne’s Freestyle Cyclists, said: “One of the negative consequences of making people wear a helmet is you tend to ignore other really important things and one of them is speed ... If you’re riding over 30km/h, your risk of head injury is five times the risk than if you’re riding at 20km/h.”

The protest coincided with the Velo-City cycling conference in Adelaide.

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